Month: April 2009

  • What do transformers, pirates and owls have in common?

    The answer: quilts!

    I’ve always been really intimidated by quilting… however, a friend of mine borrowed my sewing machine recently to make a quilt, and she made it seem so fun and easy that I just had to try myself!

    So, here it is! They’re just 6×6 squares with a small bird applique on one square as the *point*.

    Bird applique

    After my first quilt, I became so enamored with quilting that I wanted to try out another one right away… So that same weekend, I took a trip to Joanns and bought this awesome fabric to make a quilt that would look good in my living room.

    On the couch… I ended up making pillow covers to match with the quilt! It makes our apartment look really asian and pretty. :)

    Full length

    Close up of the pattern (I love this fabric SO MUCH)

    So after making my first two quilts ever in one weekend you would think I would have wanted to take a break… But no! Instead I decided to up the ante and try to make an actual comforter sized blanket… And here it is! I’m really proud of it — I didn’t have to buy any fabric at all. This was all made from fabrics I had on hand at home. It was really challenging and I probably won’t do anything like it again in the near future — but it was a really great learning experience!

    I kept seeing this “coinstack” pattern everywhere that looked oh-so-pretty, so I just took it by ear, and it came out pretty well, I think!

    Close up: I never in a million years thought I would be using transformers, pirate and owl fabric in the same project.

    Full length

  • Swine Flu Masks! (with tutorial~)

    Anyone who has played RockBand at our apartment knows that I have an obsession with eye patches and face masks. What better excuse to start making some masks than an epidemic?

    Materials needed:
    Fabric
    Elastic
    Fusible Interfacing (optional)

    Cut 2 pieces of fabric, an inner lining and an outer lining (12.5″ x 5.5″)

    OPTIONAL–
    Cut 2 pieces of fusible interfacing (12″ x 5″)

    Iron interfacing to back of each piece of fabric

    END OPTIONAL–

    Sew pieces of fabric right sides together along 3 sides (like a pillow case)

    Trim corners

    Turn inside out and sew opening closed

    Pleat each side 1″ at the center part and sew or pin to secure

    What it should look like so far:

    Fold front side over to back side and sew down. This will make a tube on the side.

    Cut 2 pieces of elastic (or you can use hair ties)

    Thread elastic through the tube with your preferred method.

    Tie elastic shut

    OPTIONAL–
    Sew a 1/2″ pleat at the bottom of the mask to shape to chin

    END OPTIONAL–

    Completed product front:

    Completed product back:

    And enjoy!!! :)

  • When it rains it pours

    I have to say that there are bad days, and then there are days that are just so ridiculously bad that it makes me laugh.

    Take today for example.

    Went to a screening interview for a new casino.  Was told that I was way too overqualified for the job I was applying for.  Strike one.

    Decided to go to the LDS Employment center to get the Mormon hookups.

    On the way there, noticed that my car was stuttering.  Realized I’ve been driving on E for a while now. Strike two.

    Stopped at a gas station.

    Realized I left my wallet at home. Strike three. (I should be out by now.. but it gets worse!)  Decide to call Brent to have him bail me out.

    Realized I left my phone at home.

    Scrounge the entire car for change and cash.  Find $1.00.

    It was enough to get me here to the LDS Employment center, at least (after 3-4 false starts on the car — can’t be good).

    Finally was able to get in contact with Brent by getting someone on google chat to call him.

    Now I’m waiting for him to come pick me up and give me my money.

     

    It’s like I’m in a sitcom!  An unemployed one.